Transferable Skills Assessments (TSAs) have become increasingly common within the life insurance sector and are now among the most frequently requested forms of Forensic Vocational Assessment (FVA).
Despite their widespread use, there is currently no formal industry-wide definition of a TSA. However, the principle on which they are based, transferable skills, is well established.
What are transferable skills?
Transferable skills are commonly described as:
“Competencies that can be learned in one context and successfully applied across different tasks, roles, and environments, enhancing adaptability, employability, and lifelong learning”*
In practical terms, a TSA seeks to identify the skills, knowledge and attributes an individual has developed through their education, training and experience (ETE). By analysing these factors, a forensic vocational assessor can evaluate how those capabilities may transfer to other occupations and identify realistic vocational options in which they could reasonably be applied.
A TSA will typically also incorporate an assessment of the labour market to determine whether identified vocational options are realistically accessible to the individual. The scope and depth of this analysis can vary depending on the specific requests provided in the Letter of Instruction. Labour market assessments will be explored in greater detail in a future article.
While the underlying objective of a TSA is generally well understood, the absence of a formal industry definition means that expectations can differ across the life insurance sector. Variability can arise not only in how TSAs are conducted, but also in how they are instructed, interpreted and ultimately applied within the claims assessment process.
When to consider a TSA?
In the previous article in this series, we explored Employability Assessments (EA). One of the key distinctions between an EA and a TSA is the way medical and functional capacity is considered.
A TSA does not assess an individual’s functional and medical capacity. Instead, it focuses on identifying vocational options based on the skills, knowledge and experience developed through their ETE only.
However, a TSA may identify a broader range of potential vocational options, particularly for individuals with extensive or diverse employment histories. An EA, by contrast, is anchored to the individual’s medical circumstances and functional capacity and therefore focuses on occupations that can be reasonably sustained.
Where there is limited clarity regarding an individual’s functional capacity, or where available medical opinions are inconsistent, incomplete or lack sufficient objectivity, a TSA can provide vocational insight to support the claims assessment process. By focusing on transferable skills derived from an individual’s ETE, a TSA can help identify potential vocational options pending further medical clarification.
A TSA has been completed – what is next?
A TSA can provide valuable insight into the occupational opportunities that may be available based solely on an individual’s transferable skills. However, transferable skills are only one part of the vocational equation.
As a TSA does not address functional capacity, the occupations identified will often need to be considered alongside medical evidence to determine whether the individual could reasonably perform those roles. Depending on the circumstances of the claim, further vocational investigation may also be required, including a more thorough labour market analysis to assess the accessibility of identified occupations.
Viewed in this context, a TSA is best understood as a foundation for further vocational enquiry rather than a standalone answer. It provides a structured assessment of what an individual may be capable of doing from a skills perspective, but additional medical and labour market evidence is frequently required to build a complete vocational picture and support robust claims decision-making.
As TSAs continue to play an increasingly prominent role in TPD claims, a clear understanding of their purpose, strengths and limitations is important for ensuring they are requested appropriately and interpreted effectively.
Source: *1 Bridges, D. (1993) ‘Transferable skills: A philosophical perspective’, Studies in Higher Education, 18(1), pp. 43–51.